Hello friends! I can’t believe I’m already talking about transitioning our last baby out of the hair chair. It’s a little bittersweet but having done this four times now, I thought I would share my tips with you.
Tip 1: Timing
Once your baby can sit up consistently without falling (off the couch for example, you might use the following checklist to evaluate your toddlers readiness to transition out of a high chair.
Yes or no?….
- Does your toddler fall when seated at a chair that is low to the ground at play dates or day car?
- Is your baby at least 18 months old?
- Has your child expressed a desire to join you at the table?
If you answered yes to all these questions it is probably time. You can certainly transition your toddler out of the high chair even if you didn’t answer yes to all of those questions. The only exception is, if they are a falling out of a chair regularly, obviously if the baby is falling out of a chair it is best to wait for a few more moths.
Tip #2 for transitioning out of a high chair: Have the right utensils
Now that balance and age etc. can be ruled out, let’s talk about having the right tools.
I find that the best utensils for a toddler are anything with a lid or that can be attached to the table. I bought all of these from Walmart and these utensils have been my go tos with all four babies. You can grab these utensils and more at Walmart for a great value. I will link them HERE.
Tip #3: Establish routines for getting down from the high chair
As you transition your toddler out of the highchair, your toddler will start to feel a stronger sense of independence. Because of this, your toddler may start to leave the high chair at their own discretion. Obviously this could become very dangerous.
I taught all my children to ask for permission before leaving the table, to help keep the safe especially when they were first transitioning out of their high chairs. Even if my toddler wasn’t quite verbal, I taught them the sign language for “all done,” which just looks like you’re shaking your hands with excess water. This simple gesture helped me to communicate with my toddler, allowing the transition of sitting at the table outside the highchair to be a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone.
Kids grow so fast, I can’t believe my sweet baby no longer sits in a high chair but man has it made life and clean up so much easier.
Best of luck!
Xo Chantea
Check out our Infertility story.
